Just recently, a little animal was born, quite unexpectedly, at the Santa Barbara zoo. In honor of this 5 foot 9 inch, 105-pound baby, our power animal of the month is Giraffe. And what creature could be more appropriate to call forth for the month of love and presidents day than stately Giraffe? The adult giraffe’s heart is a giant, 25 pound, two-foot long valentine, and the giraffe holds its noggin as high as any head of state, or for that matter, a two-story building.
Giraffe is an impressive symbol of evolution: in order to eat the leaves found in its native lands of Africa, usually the Acacia trees, its body has adapted to develop a neck as tall as the trees. If you find yourself needing to adapt to new circumstances, try surrounding yourself with images of Giraffe to help you grow.Giraffes are also strong symbols of flexibility and community; they move in packs that ebb and flow in size and characteristic. Mother Giraffes often band together for safety, and take it in turns to baby sit all the ‘little’ ones, while the others forage for food. Male giraffes are seen necking with other males even more often than females. Thus, they can serve as a reminder that friendship, affection, love and sex knows no bounds, serves purposes other than procreation and is quite “natural.”This month, if you are reaching for something that has long been unobtainable, remember Giraffe. They run fast, stretch their necks to great heights, and can go for long times without food or water. They typically even sleep less than 30 minutes a night. Giraffe teaches us about endurance, persistence, self reliance and reaching for the stars, no matter what obstacles are in our way.
